Lesson of the Day

Pictures

Song Lyrics

There were no songs this episode.

Sounds

Good Enchilada
Alec Guinness
Harvey Given the Record
What's So Good about a World Record, Anyway?
Pirate Roofing! We're Number One!
The Zargonots
Al's Mailbag
Red or Blue Button?
Fatman: Your Brain Amazes Me
Beard Man
I Guess World Records Aren't for Me
Hanson Saving the Day
Hanson: "Where's the Love?"

Stunts

Harvey becomes the world's largest hamster after standing too close to a leaky microwave.

27 References

No 27s have been found.

Summary

Harvey grows to 50,000 times his original size when he gets too
close to a leaky microwave. He is then awarded Guiness' Record for
World's Largest Rodent. Al, feeling outshone, attempts to capture a
world record for himself. He learns, however, that the sacrifices
necessary to earn such an award are bigger than he is willing to make.
Harvey is eventually returned to his normal size when light flashes
from the camaras of Hanson members displaced his photons.

The Adventures of Fatman

Fatman is at the pool when a mysterious figure drops a capsule into
the pool and changes all the water into split pea soup. Fatman and
Harvey act quickly and follow the trail of bread crumbs to the "Mad
Scientist's Lair." There they find Dr. Quimby P. Legume trying to
change the entire city's water supply into water. Fatman is against
the idea until he tries the soup and discovers he really likes it.
To prevent the doctor's plan, Harvey then has to trick Fatman into
hugging Legume. Fatman squeezes the will right out of Legume.

Memorable Lines

Al: Harvey, look at you, you're huge! What happened? Were you
sitting by the microwave just now? Oh no, what have I done? I've
turned you into a grotesque, radioactive mutant! Good enchilada,
though.

Long nailed man: Presenting the President of the Guiness Book of
World Records, Sir Alec.
(Sir Alec walks in.)
Al: Oh man, what an honor. Oh Sir Alec, I'm such a big fan of yours.
I've got all your books.
(Al kneels on one knee in front of Sir Alec.)
Sir Alec: You may stand. Uh, on one leg please. Now this hamster,
he is yours?
Al: Yes.
Sir Alec: A simple yes or no will do.
(Al gets a confused look on his face.)
Sir Alec: Well, he certainly is a very large animal.
(Long nailed man pulls a tape measure from his pocket.)
Sir Alec: No, no, no need for that. Let's just eyeball him.
(Sir Alec holds an eyeball out to inspect Harvey.)

Male Reporter: There he is! Harvey, do you have an agent?
Female Reporter: Do you have a book deal?
Male Reporter: Do you hang out with the Incredible Hulk?
Female Reporter: Do you plan to change your name to an unprenouncable
symbol?
Male Reporter: Do you ... smell somethin' funny?
Girls (screaming): Harvey! Harvey! Harvey! Harvey! Harvey!
Al: STOP! Uh, uh, shows over! Uh, Harvey needs his rest! Thanks for
coming. Goodbye, goodbye!

Al: Oh, what's so great about a world record anyway? It just means
that your the ... best in the world, and no one can take that away
from you, which must bring a tremendous amount of satisfaction, and
self-worth. Well, as my great grandaddy, Blind Lemon Yankovic, always
told me, "Alfie," he said, "if you need to be distracted from your
wretched, meaningless existence, why not turn on the TV?"

Woman on TV: But what if the roof gets a hole in it?
Pirate Guy: We'll repair it. That way, you can keep the roof over your
head!
All Pirates: Pirate Roofing, we're Number ONE!

Siskel: Well, I loved this movie. This is easily one of the best
films of the year!
Ebert: I agree. Nothing else even comes close! When a film is clearly
the best, it has a way of making everything else that's not the best
seem, well, pathetic.
Siskel: I know, and you find yourself scratching your head, thinking
what were those other movies, who were those characters, what were the
titles? Who knows?
Ebert: And who cares. Throw them in the garbage, and move on.

Alien: Citizens of Earth, we are Zargdenots froom the planet Sargo
7. We want all the humans on this planet, who are the very best at
something, to come help us start a new, super advanced civilization.
Everyone else, do...whatever.

Al: I still think it would be really cool to have a world record,
but I don't know, I just don't think it's for me, all that sacrifice.
I mean, how could I give up breaking plates on my head? Or
squirting sumo wrestlers with mustard? Or doing the boneless boy
dance? Give all that up? No way! I love my life!

Plot and Review

Harvey is expanded to 40,000 times his original size when he gets
too close to a leaky microwave and is consequently given the world record
for Largest Rodent. Harvey gleans a lot of attention for this
distinction, and Al gets jealous. Al tries to attain his own world
record, but after interviewing many record-holders, he decides he's
not willing to make the necesary sacrifices.

I was so pleased when Harvey grew so large.
He is so cute and making him big makes him that much cuter. Harvey
should be this "big" a character every week!

Unfortunately, the same darn thing happened this
week as every week. Al became some sort of monster, displaying characteristics
that had never been part of his character before. Harvey had set
two world records in episodes prior to this one, and Al didn't seem to
mind then.

I was also disappointed not to see more of the regular
characters in this episode. I really think that Val Brentwood, Gal
Spy makes the show. The side parts of the show were pretty good.
Al trying to eat doughnuts in ten seconds and the Fat Man cartoon were
just a few of the highlights. Other parts of the show not directly
related to the plot were Al squirting a sumo wrestler with mustard and
the record-holders of the longest game of Marco Polo.

Particularly weak was the problem resolution.
Al's determination just puttered out. He didn't learn that he was
okay as he was, he just decided that getting a record was too hard.
I don't know if this is what we want to teach our kids.

Later, Harvey is returned to his normal size when
Hanson displaces his photons with the flashes from their cameras.
Hanson was so darn cute. I just wanted to pat them on the hands and
give them lollipops. Their music reminded me of something that they
might have had on the Brady Bunch. They were the highlight of the
show.